MONTROSE — The Montrose Fire Protection District broke ground on a third fire station Friday with hopes of reducing response times for rural residents living west of the city.

The 8,000-square-foot facility being built at 62840 Spring Creek Road is an exact copy of the district’s second station, which was completed in May 2007 south of the city, according to Fire Chief Tad Rowan.

Rowan said the district is hiring nine new firefighters to operate one structural engine, one brush truck and one ambulance.

The total cost of the project has been budgeted at $1.8 million, Rowan said.

“The biggest thing is reducing response times to the citizens that live on Spring Creek Mesa and the rural areas west of the city,” Rowan said.

Rowan said the new facility will reduce insurance costs for those residents, and the station will be open by Jan. 1, 2012.

He said the district placed an order for a new Pierce fire engine, which costs $548,000.